A catamaran day to the northern islands

Coin de Mire is the one you see from every beach in the north: a wedge of rock 160 metres high, four kilometres off Cap Malheureux. It is a nature reserve and boats do not land there, but they sail past it close enough to see the tropicbirds nesting in the cliffs. Flat Island, further out, has a lighthouse from 1855 and the remains of a quarantine station. Gabriel Island, just next to it, is the one everybody lands on: a sandbank with a lagoon the colour of the villa's pool. Round Island and Serpent Island, beyond, are strict reserves for rare reptiles and seabirds and are closed to visitors.

Boarding at Grand Baie or Cap Malheureux between eight thirty and nine thirty. The sail out takes about an hour and a half with the wind, passing Coin de Mire. The catamaran anchors in the channel between Flat Island and Gabriel Island, where the water is clear enough to see the bottom at ten metres. Snorkelling first, then the crew grills chicken, fish and sausages on the back of the boat while the drinks are open. After lunch, the tender takes you to the beach on Gabriel Island for an hour or two. The boat is back in Grand Baie between four and five. The whole day is unhurried; nobody is in charge of anything but the crew.

A shared catamaran takes between twenty and forty people and is the cheaper option. The atmosphere is friendly, the music is on, and children are welcome. A private charter takes the same boat for your group only, which with eight guests at the villa is often the better deal per person once the boat is full, and lets you decide where to stop and how long to stay. Several operators in Grand Baie run both. Book two or three days ahead in the low season and a week or more in December, January and the European Easter holidays.

A shared day with lunch and drinks is in the range of 50 to 80 euros per adult, about half that for children, depending on the boat and the season. A private charter for a full day runs from roughly 700 to 1,500 euros for the whole boat. Prices are quoted in rupees and change with fuel costs, so treat these as orders of magnitude for 2026. Tips for the crew are appreciated and not included.

Bring a hat that stays on in the wind, sunglasses, a long-sleeved rash vest for snorkelling, reef-safe sunscreen, a towel and a dry bag for phones. Boats provide masks and snorkels but they are not always a good fit, so a mask of your own is worth packing. Leave jewellery, laptops and anything you would mind getting wet at the villa. Seasickness is rare on the way out but the return can be choppier when the trade winds blow from the south-east; a tablet taken an hour before boarding settles it.

The sea is calmest from October to April, which is also the warmest and sunniest period in the north. From June to September the trade winds pick up and some days are cancelled for swell; the operators decide the evening before. The water is between 23 and 29 degrees all year round and visibility for snorkelling is best from October to December and again in April and May.